Coaster wagon



April 21, 1925'. 1,534,730

J. O'BRIEN I CQASTER WAGON Filed Sept. 2, 1924 grwwniw attocmq vPatented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES assent JAMES OBRIEN, F HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.

COASTER WAGON.

Application filed September 2, 1924. Serial No. 735,350.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hutchinson, in the county of Reno and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Coaster Wagon, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention is directed broadly to an improved toyvehicle, and in thepresent instance, the invention has been embodied in a coaster wagon.

In wagons of this class it is quite common for the occupant to place oneleg in. the body of the wagon and to propel the latter along the surfaceby engaging the foot of the other leg with the surface to push the wagonalong. Since the occupant must necessarily kneel in the forward portionof the wagon in a manner to properly balance the same,

the common four wheel wagon is found objectionable in that the frontwheel on the side of the propelling leg interferes with free movement ofthe leg.

It follows that it is my primary aim to.

devise a coaster wagon which will overcome this difficulty, this endbeing accomplished first by shaping the forward end of the body tofacilitate free propulsion, and second by placing a single steeringwheel at this end of the wagon.

In carrying out the invention I therefore provide a tri-wheel coasterwagon, the body of which is decreased in width at its front tofacilitate pushing of the wagon with the le It is also a feature of theinvention to mount the single ground engaging steering wheel on avertical pivot and to also mount the pair of rear wheels on a similarpivot, there being a steering connection between the front and rearwheels so that they will be angled.simultaneously in opposite directionsto make for short turns.

Other features and structural details will become apparent from thefollowing description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevational view of a coaster wagonconstructed in accordance with the present invention.-

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of F igure 1.'

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view disclosing the connection of therear wheel with the body. a 5-5 In the drawing, the reference character1 designates generally the body of the wagon. As is usual the body iselongated and is of the box-type design, the same including end and sidewalls. Referring to the forward end of the body it will be seen thatfrom the point 2 to the point 3 at the forward end, it is graduallydecreased in width. Particular emphasis is to be laid on this designinasmuch as it facilitates free movement of the operators leg when thelatter is used as the propulsion means.

Fixed to the center of the under side of the narrow front end of thebody is a bearing disk 4. Bearing rotatably against the under side ofthis disk is the bight portion of a vertical wheel yoke 5. The yoke isconnected to the dlsk ona vertical pivot (not shown). The yoke 5 carriesa horizontally disposed and elongated frame 6 in which the front groundengaging and steering wheel 7 is confined. The frame is provided withsuitable hearings to accommodate the journals of said wheel. The ends ofthe frame extend well beyond the wheel, the for- 50 Ward end extendingbeyond the corresponding end of the body. A pulling tongue 8 ispivotally connected to this end of the frame and is provided at itsupper end with a handle 9 by means of which the wagon is es guided andpulled. At its inner end, the frame 6 is provided with a flattenedextension 10 forming an attaching car.

As before intimated, the rear wheels 11 are movably connected with thebody so that they can be angled when the front wheel is angled topromote effective steering. In carrying out this end, I provide aninverted arched bolster 12 which has its down turned ends connected tothe axle 13. The intermediate portion 14: of the bolster is flattenedand is provided with a central aperture. The shank of a T-head bolt 15is passed through this opening and a nut 16 is fitted onto the threadsofthe shank. The shank of the bolt is also adapted to extend slidably androtatably through an elongated slot 17 in a boxlike casting 18 fixed tothe under side of the bottom of the body. As seen more clearly in Figure3, the T-head of the bolt extends crosswise of the slot and has freemovement in the box portion of the casting.

Connected at the rear end to the axle 13 are radius rods 19. In thepresent instance, these rods are in the form of flat metal strips whichare disposed vertically as seen in Figure 1 but have their forward endstwisted as indicated at 20 to dispose these ends horizontally as seen at21. One twisted end is placed on top of the ear 10 with the othertwisted end beneath the ear as. seen in Figure 1. A pivot bolt 22 isthen passed through the twisted ends and the ear to afford the desiredconnection between the frame 6 and the radius rods. To secure rigidity,I provide a brace 23 which is attached at its rear end to the bolt 15and at its forward end to the pivotal connection 22 as shown in Figurel.

The improved wagon is used in the same manner that the common coasterwagons are utilized. It may be pulled along the ground by the tongue 8or it may be used for coasting purposes in which instance the tonguewill be disposed in the approximate position seen in Figure 1.Obviously, when the front wheel 7 is turned upon its pivot for steering,the yoke and frame are angled therewith, a pull being exerted upon theradius rod in a manner to simultaneously angle the rear wheels. In thisinstance it is to be noted that the body 1 is well above the peripheriesof the wheels to prevent the hindrance in angling. The rear wheels areof course angled in a direction opposite to the front wheel so that thedesired arc is produced for insuring a short turn without overbalancingthe wagon. Actual use of a wagon constructed in accordance with theinvention has shown that it does not overturn as easily as the commonfour wheel wagon. This is especially true when short turns are beingmade. Under such condi tions, the common four wheel wagon is very likelyto overturn.

Undoubtedly, the foregoing description when taken in connection with thedrawing will enable persons skilled to the art to which the inventionrelates to obtain a clear understanding of the same. For this reason, amore lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

While the disclosure has been restricted to a coaster wagon, I wish itto be understood that such description is not to be construedlimitaneously, for it is within the conception to adapt the invention tosimilar toy ve hic-les, Whether they be straddle-car type or other formsof toy-vehicles.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A toy vehicle ofthe class described, comprising a body, a hollow casing secured to theunder side of the body and provided with a longitudinally extendingelongated slot, a pair of rear wheels, an axle connecting said wheelstogether, an inverted U- shaped bolster having its downturned endconnected with the ends of the axle, the intermediate portion of thebolster being flattened and movably contacting the under side of saidcasing, a bolt carried by the flattened intermediate portion of thebolsters, said bolt being provided with a cross-head disposed withinsaid casing, the shank of the bolt extending slidably and rotatablythrough the aforesaid slot, and a steering wheel at the front of thebody connected with the rear wheels for simultaneously angling allwheels.

2. A toy vehicle of the class described comprising a body, an invertedyoke, the bi 'ht portion of which is pivotally connected with the bodyat the forward end of the latter, an integral horizontally elongatedframe'carried by the lower end of the arms of said yoke, a single groundengaging and steering wheel arranged within said frame, said wheelhaving journals rotatably received in bearing openings in the sideportion of said frame, a single bolster of U- shaped form inverted andconnected to the rear portion of the body, an axle extending through thedependin arms of said bolster, wheels mounted upon the outer ends of theaxle, and a pair of forwardly diverging radius rods connected at theirrear ends to the axle and pivotally connected at their forward ends tothe aforesaid frame, whereby to provide a steering connection betweenthe front and rear wheels.

3. A toy vehicle of the class described, comprising a body having itsforward end fashioned to facilitate foot propulsion, and an invertedyoke having a flattened bight portion pivotally connected to the underside of the body adjacent the front end thereof, an elongated frameintegral with the lower ends of the arms of said yokes, a ground en- 1gaging and steering wheel disposed within said frame and provided withjournals rotatably received in bearing openings in the side portions ofthe frame, the rear portion of said frame being equipped with afiattened extension, a hollow casing secured to the under side of thebody adjacent the rear end thereof, said casing being provided with anelongated longitudinally extending slot, an inverted U-shaped bolsterhaving a flat intermediate portion movably contacting the under side ofsaid casing, said flattened portion having an aperture in alignment withrid slot, a bolt extending through said aperture and having its endsdisposed slid-ably and rotatably within the casing, the shank thereofpassing through said slot, an axle extending through the downturned endsof said bolster, rear wheels secured to the outer ends of the axle, apair of forwardly diverging radius rods connected at their rear ends tothe axle, and pivotally connected at their forward ends to the aforesaidflattened ex tension, and a brace having its rear end in associationwith said casing and its forward 10 end connected with said extension.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES OBRIEN.

